PROS AND CONS OF

COMPUTERS IN

THE

CLASSROOM

B Y : S A R A H S T A M M , K O D Y S E X T O N , C H S E L A B U O Y E

CON’S: OUR PERSONAL OPINIONS• You tell kids to do a research paper

and they resort to only using Google. • Internet access increases the

probability of students becoming distracted and using social networking sites.

• It isolates students and prohibits them from strengthening their social skills.

CON’S: TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE

• Not knowing how to use the technology wastes time• Transitioning from the classroom to the computer lab

may be a hassle. • Teachers become frustrated and tense• “I can’t believe what is happening to my department.

Nobody looks up anymore when you enter the room. They are looking at their computers because they are checking email, working on papers or doing research. The whole camaraderie is gone. The computer has taken away the social aspects of our interaction.” – Mary (McNierney).

• Lose an entire day of teaching if an electrical problem arises

CONS: HIGHER EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE3 main areas of concern:

• Distracting to neighboring students• Engaged in social networking, instead of the lectures• Entertainment: gaming in classes

• 1/4th of students reported they spent over 50% of their time sending IM’s to friends (Kay)

• 43% of students agree they would perform better during a lecture without the internet as a distraction (Kay)

CONS: SPECIAL EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE• Some students with special needs may become

frustrated that they cannot use the technology in the same way that their peers can

• If their social skills are already limited, allowing them to use a computer will further decrease their ability to interact with others

• Special education teachers are already busy enough, taking time to teach students computer skills would require too much extra effort

• Having computers in classrooms for students with special needs can be extremely expensive

PRO’S: OUR PERSONAL OPINIONS• Typing skills are needed today• Computers are part of the 21st century

and are a part of every day life for most people

• Knowing how to work the basics of a computer is necessary

• It’s convenient for students to have a set amount of time during school hours to use computers

PRO’S: TEACHER PERSPECTIVE

• It promotes teamwork not isolation, and brings classrooms into the 21’s century

• Extremely useful for group projects and presentations

• Don’t let them passively skim web pages but actively use the internet

• “Most importantly, it solves the dilemma of having students in the classroom working alone and having no opportunity to develop the twenty-first-century skills needed for citizenship in our democracy.” - Scheuerell

PROS: HIGHER EDUCATION5 main areas:

• College professors move quickly: typing is usually a faster alternative to handwriting notes

• In-class assignments often require computer technology • Access to electronic journals and various databases• Improvement of organization skills• Communication

PROS: SPECIAL EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE• Allows students with special needs to participate

and be placed in typical classrooms• Promotes inclusion and socialization• Helps students with special needs see learning

as fun or more interesting when presented with graphics and audio effects (a sensory experience)

• Adaptive technology is highly available:• Joysticks• Trackballs• Keyguards

WORKS CITED• Courduff, J. (2011). One Size Never Fits All: Tech Integration for

Special Needs. Learning & Leading with Technology, 38(8), 16-19. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

• Kay, R. H., & Lauricella, S. (2011). Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Using Laptop Computers in Higher Education Classrooms: A Formative Analysis. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 37(1), Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

• McNierney, D. J. (2004). One Teacher's Odyssey through Resistance and Fear. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 48(5), 66-71,. Retrieved from EBSCOhost

• Scheuerell, S. (2010). Virtual Warrensburg: Using Cooperative Learning and the Internet in the Social Studies Classroom. Social Studies, 101(5), 194-199. Retrieved from EBSCOhost

• Ounsted, E. (2008). Computer Accessibility for All. Learning & Leading with Technology, 35(7), 34-35. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.